Mona at L.A.s Tent City

“Mrs. Jordan,” Mona said, “you used to pick us all up in big buses, and take us to Fred Jordan mission every day. Tent City was so dirty, and the Mission was so clean. You gave us food, clothing—but most of all, you gave us love. And that’s what has carried us through the tough times. I just wanted to say thank you.”

Tent City was literally like its name. Entire families, single women, and single men lived in makeshift tents, under tarps, out in the middle of a huge dirt field, surrounded by a high barbed wire fence, next to the river and the railroad tracks.

And here was this little mother with three small children, living in Tent City. Not the kind of place you’d want to spend 10 minutes. Police swept the streets of Skid Row, forcing people to go to Tent City, or go to jail - - drunks, drug addicts, hardened criminals, and child molesters, and sexual predators of all kinds, thrown together into this chain-linked encampment.

It was a terrible environment, and that’s why we went there every morning. Mona went on to say, “When your big busses would come to Tent City day after day, we felt you’d come to rescue us. You saved our lives…and we’ve never forgotten it.”

And Mona, I’ll never forget you and your little family.

Friend, I need you to help us continue to touch and bless families like Mona’s. When you give to Fred Jordan Mission, you give the precious gift of HOPE.